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Many younger adults (and some older adults) find that they are not quite sure what it really means to do the dishes. Sometimes we learn the hard way when living with roommates for the first time, that kitchen duty demands more than loading a dishwasher. This article is for anyone who feels kitchen clean-up means just washing the dirty dishes.

Gather all the dirty dishes, not just what is sitting in the kitchen sink. Make sure to check all rooms for cups, glasses and plates. If you have roommates ask them to help gather the dishes. There is nothing more frustrating when doing the dishes then being handed more after you are done.

Whether you have a dishwasher or do them by hand make sure all washing is done properly. This means loading the dishwasher correctly and making sure all dirt, grease and leftovers are gone from those that you do by hand. Wipe the inside of the sink, making sure to remove all food particles.

Next rinse the coffee or tea pot if dirty. This is part of doing dishes, making sure appliances are clean. Wipe the counters, microwave and stove. This is not a chore left for Saturdays or “cleaning day”. Daily cleaning of your kitchen appliances lessen your cleaning day work load and keep bacteria and pests out of your kitchen. My favourite cleaning solution is water and vinegar. The vinegar cuts down the grease and disinfects your surfaces. For an added bonus I add a few drops of grapefruit oil extract to my solution; this is another good disinfectant and leaves your kitchen smelling fresh and clean.

Cleaning metals in the house does not require spending money for expensive chemicals and cleaners. The best way to make metals shine and look clean is with things already in the kitchen. With a little time and a little rubbing, even the hardest metals to keep clean and shiny will look beautiful. Cleaning metals with something already in the kitchen also saves space. No more harsh cleaners are needed. Things you’ll need:

• Salt
• White vinegar
• Lemon rind
• Flour
• Lemon juice
• Sorrel leaves
• Sour milk
• Cloth

Step 1: For aluminium pans with dark stains use white vinegar and water. Fill the pan with water and add one tablespoon of white vinegar for each quart of water. Bring the water to a boil and remain boiling for ten minutes.

Step 2: For aluminium utensils that are discoloured use lemon juice and water. Boil water, lemon juice and utensils in water for ten minutes or use a cloth dipped in lemon juice to rub the utensil and rinse with warm water to renew the shine.

Step 3: To make silverware shine and remove stains, place in a bowl with sour milk and leave sit for eight to ten hours. Rinse with cold water and then with hot water and dry.

Step 4: To clean silver and ease the rubbing process, rub the silver with salt before polishing.

Step 5: Preventing soot on outdoor cooking pans is easy when you rub the outside of the pans with soap. After use, rinse with hot water to remove soot.

Step 6: For dull copper, use sorrel leaves dipped in hot water to rub on the copper to bring back the shine.

Step 7: For copper and brass corrosion, rub with lemon juice. If the corrosion is heavy, make a paste of salt and lemon juice to rub on the item then wash, rinse and dry.

Step 8: For discoloured brass, bronze and copper, make a paste of flour, white vinegar and salt to rub on the item. After cleaning with the paste wash, rinse and wipe dry.

Step 9: To make clean soap film and stains from chrome, use a mixture of two tablespoons of white vinegar and one teaspoon of salt. Rub mixture on chrome. Then rinse and dry. To remove spots and make the chrome shine rub with lemon juice, then rinse and dry.